79th Street (IND Second Avenue Line) (mtamaster edition)
79th Street is a station on the IND Second Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Second Avenue and 79th Street on the Upper East Side, it serves the Q''' train at all times except late nights, the '''U at all times, and T during late nights only. Station layout This station is built with two side platforms. The only other stations on the Second Avenue Line to have side platforms are 48th Street and St Marks place. Its architecture, along with other Second Avenue Subway stations, was compared to a Washington Metro station by Dr. Michael Horodniceanu, President of MTA Capital Construction. The platform is 96 feet (29 m) below ground. The platforms for the 79th Street station are 15 feet (4.5 m) wide. The walls were originally orange like other stations built in the 1980s. In 2009, the station was rehabilitated with large beige-white wall tiles. Entrances, exits, and ancillary buildings There are 4 entrances and exits, which comprise 3 escalators and one elevator. History Background The Second Avenue Line was originally proposed in 1919 as part of a massive expansion of what would become the Independent Subway System (IND). Work on the line never commenced, as the Great Depression crushed the economy. Numerous plans for the Second Avenue Subway appeared throughout the 20th century, but these were usually deferred due to lack of funds. In anticipation of the never-built new subway line, the Second and Third Avenue elevated lines were demolished in 1942 and 1955, respectively. The Second Avenue Elevated had one station at 80th Street and Second Avenue while the Third Avenue Elevated had a stop on nearby Third Avenue at 76th Street. Unrealized proposals As part of the New York City Transit Authority's 1968 Program for Action, the construction of the full-length Second Avenue Subway was proposed. It was to be built in three phases—the first phase from Court Street to Grand Street was already opened by 1968; the second phrase from 126th to 34th Streets and the third phase from 34th to Grand Street were in the works. In 1983, the Regional Plan Association considered a full-length Second Avenue Subway, which include 86th Street as one of its planned 13 stations. The main station entrance would be at 86th Street to the north, with additional exits between 86th and 82nd Streets to the south, rendering a station at 79th street unnecessary. Construction In June 1979, the Second Avenue Subway was revived. The line's first phase, the "first major expansion" to the New York City Subway in more than a half-century, included 13 new stations on the east side. The line's construction commenced on July 15, 1979, In April 1983, the second round of planning for the stations were finalized, and 79th Street was added as a station. Due to the work already done on Second Avenue, the 79th Street station was built with two side platforms instead of an island platform. The station was scheduled to be completed by May 16, 1989, but the estimated completion date was pushed back to October 1989.